“How did I leave myself with only 15 minutes to eat between work and appointments?” I asked myself earlier today in between appointments, more appointments and lots of paperwork? 15 minutes for lunch? That’s not balanced. No-shows are coming in quite handy today.

After that debacle, I came to a point in the afternoon where I’d subsequentially rushed from a group to another group to a session to a flurry of paperwork to another session to more paperwork…then I looked outside and beheld it was a beautiful day. An autumn day where the temperature is crisp but the sun is warm and there’s just enough breeze to carry the scent of clean vegetation. Weather like this demands to be felt.

So I decided to feel it.

Self-care for me today looked like putting down my unfinished paper work and taking a quick stroll down the street. Three blocks to the coffee shop and back and now I can return to my desk refreshed, invigorated, sunned, and I have a chai.

Coincidentally, I am blogging which means I haven’t actually returned to work which means I’m still allowing myself a break.

Breaks are great! Rest is wonderful! Why do we not do it more often? Why do we not take moments to enjoy the life and the world that God has given us?

How does it really benefit you, others, or the Kingdom if you overwork and never have fun and wear yourself down to a bitter wisp of a person? Go take a walk in the sun! Drink some water! Have a cookie, unless you’re diabetic, in which case eat an apple! They’re in season this time of year.

My favorite part about this whole afternoon was that my work was not all done and there were even paperwork complications. Minor expectations that I had not been able to meet. I love this because it makes life imperfect.

Now you may point out that life is already imperfect.

Exactly!

But I’m a perfectionist. I want everything to be done right. I want to do everything myself and always do it right. A noble sentiment, but an unsustainable one.

I loved this afternoon because I made the choice to not need perfection, either in the world, or in myself. To rest and enjoy the good things that I do have. To force myself to look away from the stress of work…because the stress of work will certainly never leave me alone!

The final point is that a life of peace is a life with rest and even some fun. It’s not a perfect life, but it’s still a good life.